Special education is a rapidly growing sector of the education field.  With more acceptances of disabilities, an increasing number of students are being identified as disabled each year.  As the disabled student population grows, school districts need to hire more teachers to provide services for these students.

Many individuals are drawn to the field of special education because of the promise of job openings, job security, and just a strong conviction to the rewards associated with helping children overcome barriers. But even though there are more jobs in special education than in other areas, there is still strong competition for these positions.

If you are ready to apply for special education teaching jobs, be sure to consider the steps you need to take to increase the likelihood of being selected for vacant positions. When districts are recruiting special education teachers, they are looking for certain characteristics.  These attributes and accomplishments need to be concisely conveyed in your special education teacher resume… and you need to show passion in your cover letter.  If you make sure you possess these traits and are able to communicate and back up you have these traits, you will be a desirable candidate and will be ultimately increase your chance landing a job offer.

Familiarize Yourself with the Jargon

Special education is full of acronyms and jargon that a qualified candidate should be familiar with. You will not likely impress your interviewer if you have to ask him or her to explain what they mean when they use technical terms associated with the job. Schools want to hire someone who is knowledgeable, so if you are a bit hazy on this, be sure to review some of the common technical terms so that you are able to comprehend and effectively answer interview questions. Terms may include: adaptive behavior, alexia, assistive technology device, or discrepancy formula.

Be Knowledgeable about Disabilities

You never know which types of disabilities students in your class will struggle with, so be sure you know basic information about a wide variety of disabilities before you go to an interview. You want to be able to accurately and impressively answer questions they may pose regarding disability types.  Remember, as a special education teacher, you are that district’s expert on disabilities.  They want to hire someone who they can turn of they have questions – not someone who needs to constantly consult a resource book.

Differentiated Instruction is Vital

Differentiation is critical to success in the classroom and is a popular buzzword in education today. It is something that all teachers need to do in their classroom to ensure student find success.  However, as a special education teacher, you will be required to do more differentiation than any other type of teacher.  Consider how you could modify lessons to meet students’ individual needs, and be prepared to give specific examples in your interview where you have accomplished this huge responsibility.

Demonstrate your Ability to Work Co-operatively

Special education teachers need to show they can work co-operatively with other teachers and resources specialists within the school community – making being a team player very important.  Make sure the district knows you are willing to partner with other educators to help students succeed.  Emphasize this in both the resume and cover letter, and of course, during the interview. Be prepared to give examples and accomplishment stories to back up this skill.

Understand the Roles of Support Staff

Depending on the nature of disabilities and the scope of your position, you may manage and allocate support staff, such as a teacher’s assistant or paraprofessional. Be sure you are aware of the different support staff types that generally assist with special education programs. Your interviewer may ask you to explain how you would utilize different support structures, so before the interview, you may want to consider how to effectively use other staff to help students succeed.

 The job of a special education teacher is very important.  When schools interview potential special education teachers, they look very carefully at the applications, credentials, knowledge, and skills to select the proper candidate.  If you want to be the candidate who earns the job, you need to make sure that your qualifications are top notch. These qualifications, keywords, accomplishments need to be presented in a powerful resume and cover letter to ensure you receive a job interview.

If you require more information or have any questions - Contact Candace at A+ Resumes for Teachers by clicking here or call toll-free 1-877-738-8052.

 

 

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